Lullaby
by Master-Magician
Summary: Maddie had just gripped the doorknob when she heard a song emanating from within. Closing her eyes, Maddie allowed herself to bask in the sound for a moment. Her ears might be hearing it, but she usually felt it more in her body than she did the former.


**Anybody else having a really hard time lasting from week to week for new episodes? I've waited for shows before, but for some reason this one is so much torture. Oh well, must mean it's just that great.**

 **To tide us all over, here is some more polymarine for everybody.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

"No way, Ben." Maddie gave her boyfriend a stern glare.

"I'm fine." Ben attempted to play himself off as feeling better than he actually did, but the cough that slipped out kind of screwed that up.

"Sure." Maddie drawled. "Yeah, you're totally fine. Okay, then let's go."

"Was that so hard?" Ben managed two steps before everything started spinning. He'd been using the doorway for support but without it, his legs were too shaky. "Don't say it."

"Don't say what?" Maddie smirked, body leaning against her car with her arms folded. "I'm still waiting."

Ben attempted another step but couldn't even get that before he was overcome with a wave of nausea and dizziness. He would have fallen on his face if Maddie hadn't covered the distance between them with surprising quickness.

"You're sick." Maddie took Ben by the shoulders and, after steadying him, turned him right around and lightly pushed him back to the door. "You're staying home today, I'll handle things down at the center."

"But, what about…"

"Ah." Maddie waved a finger in Ben's direction. "I don't want to hear it. Get some rest, I'll check up on you later."

Ben wanted to resist, to argue, but he knew he didn't have a single bit of ammunition to use against his girlfriend. She was going to get her way whether he liked it or not.

"Just promise me one thing." Ben resumed his perch in the doorway.

"Anything."

"At least give me a text or call when Ryn shows up." Ben couldn't help it, he worried whenever she had to return to the ocean. She'd be back before long. Seeing as how it was daylight, her most likely place of arrival would be the rescue center.

"Like you have to ask." Maddie trotted up to Ben and kissed her fingertips before touching them to Ben's lips. "I'll bring Ryn home with me when I come back later."

Ben waved Maddie off as she pulled out of the driveway. With his girlfriend gone, Ben turned around and went back inside. It was slow going, he now had to depend entirely on the wall, or his counter, to remain standing.

Making his way further inside, Ben tried to ignore the terrible throbbing in his skull. Every step was torture as he made his way further and further toward his bed. It might be wise to check his medicine cabinet for something, but his ability to think was too impaired for his liking. He'd just have to make do with simple rest.

Suddenly, Ben found himself wracked with a fit of heavy coughs. He managed to get in enough air, but with each cough, the headache increased tenfold. At this rate, he'd never make it to the bed.

The world was spinning violently as Ben tried to cover the last bit of distance, but his legs gave out before he could get that far. Stumbling, he managed to land on his couch instead of the floor. Not quite as comfortable, but it was going to have to do. Even the thought of moving caused a fresh wave of nausea and vertigo to rise.

Yeah, Ben wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

Resigned to his fate, Ben sealed his eyes in an attempt to alleviate some of the sensations and pain. As long as he kept them closed, the nausea and dizziness were tolerable. Too bad it only helped the headache a tiny bit.

With his eyes unable to open, Ben had no clue how long he lay there. He couldn't see the clock or sun, and no sounds were usable as a guide.

At some point Ben heard what sounded like somebody entering, but the steps were so quiet he wasn't sure if it was his imagination or not. When he tried to open one eye, Ben was struck with another lance of agony through his brain.

There was definitely somebody in the room. Ben felt small, but strong, hands raising him up. Try as he might, Ben couldn't stifle the tiny whimper of pain the movement brought out.

Just as softly as the stranger lifted Ben, so too did they ease him back down. Ben felt his head coming to rest on what felt like a leg, but he still couldn't tell who the owner was.

Ben almost moaned when he felt a cool hand caressing his cheek. He hadn't even noticed how hot he was feeling. Everything else had been a bit of a distraction, really.

His breathing ragged, Ben tried to find some measure of comfort. The leg pillow was comfy, but the pounding headache was preventing any form of meaningful rest. There was nothing to do but suffer through it until it abated enough.

Through the haze of pain, Ben began hearing a familiar sound washing over him. He'd heard the tune many times before, and he could already feel himself relaxing.

As the singing continued, Ben felt sleep tugging strongly at his conscious mind. With each second, he felt his body losing much of its tension, his muscles going lax.

Next thing Ben knew, he was overtaken completely by darkness.

* * *

Maddie was rather impressed with herself. She'd actually managed to make it through half the day before her willpower broke. The worry had eaten away at her until it could no longer be contained, and now here she was, pulling into Ben's driveway to check up on her boyfriend.

It was silly, really. Ben just had a mild illness. Nothing all that life-threatening, but that didn't exactly make Maddie feel all that better.

Didn't help an uneasy feeling had settled in the pit of Maddie's stomach, one completely unrelated to Ben. Ryn hadn't shown up at all today. Maddie had to constantly tell herself that Ryn was just late, or maybe had decided to go hunting for a little bit before coming back home.

Maddie had just gripped the doorknob when she heard a song emanating from within. Closing her eyes, Maddie allowed herself to bask in the sound for a moment. Her ears might be hearing it, but she usually felt it more in her body than she did the former.

That song could mean only one thing, and it immediately brought a smile to Maddie's face.

No point in being quiet, she had to already know Maddie was here, but Ben might be asleep. Just to err on the side of caution, Maddie opened the door and slipped inside as quiet as a mouse.

Making her way through the house, Maddie found her objective in the living room. Ben was indeed out cold, but for some reason was laying on the couch instead of his bed. The realization made Maddie wince internally, she should have helped him inside. He hadn't been able to make it any further before crashing.

Seated on the couch with Ben, her thigh being used as a pillow for him, was Ryn. The mermaid held one hand to Ben's cheek, her song continuing to sound through the house.

Maddie took a moment to give Ben the once-over. He still lacked some of his usual color, but he actually looked better. His entire posture was relaxed, his face showing no sign of strain. Even his breathing had evened out to almost normal levels.

As silently as Maddie could manage, she tiptoed across the floor to take a seat on Ryn's opposite side. Ben showed no signs of stirring, thankfully. If Ryn had used her song to lull him to sleep, it would take quite a bit to wake him. Either that, or she could sing him awake.

It was a curious thing, the mermaid song. None of them, Ryn included, actually understood it. Mermaids themselves were immune, but it had a strange effect on humans. They'd learned that one early on shortly after meeting Ryn. Mental impairment, compulsion, all sorts of things that were the stuff of nightmares.

More than once, Ben and Maddie had expressed concern that Ryn was controlling them, simply using the humans as she wished. It was a line of thinking that the couple had easily been able to shut down.

Ryn had no reason to remain on land, no reason to force herself through the agonizing regular transformations coming on land required. Life in the ocean was simpler, easier, for the mermaid. The human world was complicated, and full of things she had zero knowledge of.

Ryn's affections were real. Maddie couldn't explain how she knew it, but the way she felt for the mermaid was equally genuine. Ryn cared for Ben and Maddie, and the couple cared for her every bit as much.

Simple as that.

Not to mention, Ben and Maddie had discovered something new soon after they started this… relationship of theirs. Ryn couldn't actually make them do anything. It was like accepting themselves as Ryn's mates had changed the effect of her song.

Ryn continued to sing, but her voice slowly tapered off until silence had overtaken the house. Maddie found herself already missing the melody.

"Warm, too warm." Ryn didn't take her gaze from Ben, her words barely a whisper. "Burning."

"Yeah." Maddie frowned, her own voice dropping low so as not to disturb Ben. "He's sick, the fever should be minor."

"Fever?" Ryn looked up, head tilted quizzically in the fashion she often used.

"Fever. Umm…" Maddie pondered for a moment how to explain it. "Something is making him sick, so his body is trying to burn it out."

That seemed enough to appease Ryn. The mermaid nodded slightly before putting her eyes back on Ben.

Maddie was about to say something else when a realization hit her like a sack of bricks. "Ryn, you shouldn't be here!"

"What?" There was that look again. Maddie usually found it adorable, but now was not the time for it.

"Ben's sick." Maddie struggled to come up with a way to quickly explain the concept of immunities and resistances. "This is nothing for humans, it could be dangerous for mermaids."

Ryn didn't answer at first, choosing instead to watch the sleeping Ben. Her features betraying nothing.

Maddie didn't like the idea of Ryn leaving, but it was too unsafe. It might be a minor bug for Ben, but for Ryn? It could easily turn life threatening.

"I stay."

"Ryn…"

"I stay." Ryn's head snapped up, the faintest of hisses escaping her. There was a fire in her eyes, her orbs just daring the world or Maddie to try and refuse her.

"Ryn, it's for your own safety." Most of the wind in Maddie's sails had been snatched right away, but she had to at least make Ryn aware of the threat.

"Sickness, makes you weak." Ryn was looking at Ben, but she had that far off look she often got when remembering something from before her time on land. "Can't fight. Defenseless. Others come, want to hurt."

Maddie recalled Ryn's words during their interview back when they were searching for her sister. In water they fight, kill or be killed. Would other mermaids come after one of their own if they were ill? Maddie understood survival of the fittest, but this? The thought made Maddie sick.

It all made sense now, though.

Maddie didn't have the heart to tell Ryn nobody was going to attack Ben in his sleep. Ryn just wanted to make sure her mate was defended, Maddie couldn't fault her for that. If anything, it was endearing.

"What if you get sick, too?"

"You will protect me." Ryn replied without a hint of hesitation, the sheer certainty and trust in the mermaid's voice making Maddie's heart melt.

Draping an arm across Ryn's shoulders, Maddie laid her head to rest atop the mermaid's. Drawing in a deep breath, Maddie was greeted with the familiar scent of saltwater coming off of Ryn in waves, a smell that had become one of Maddie's personal favorites.

Ryn relaxed, leaning heavily against Maddie. Her spare hand coming up behind so that her fingers could tangle in Maddie's tresses. For some reason, Ryn never tired of playing with Maddie's hair. She especially liked her braided locks.

"Couple of headstrong women, aren't we?" Maddie's lips turned up in a fond smile. "Poor Ben doesn't stand a chance."

"No fair." Ben croaked. "Ganging up on me while I'm down."

"Hey." Maddie brought the back of her hand to feel Ben's forehead. He was still feverish, but it seemed to be better than earlier. "How you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck." Ben's eyes fluttered open for a fraction of a second before slamming shut with a groan. "Then it backed up and ran me over a few times."

"Well your sense of humor is intact, there's that at least." Maddie teased, her fingers running through his hair in a way she hoped was soothing.

"Back to sleep?" Ryn asked, her thumb tracing Ben's cheekbones.

"No way." Ben mumbled. "You just got home, and I don't want to spend our time together napping. Wait, hold up… Ryn, you shouldn't…"

"Don't bother." Maddie cut him off with a roll of her eyes. "Already tried, she's not going anywhere."

"Of course, she isn't." Ben grinned just a little, one eyelid opening a crack. "You're both too stubborn for your own good. You know that, right?"

"You wouldn't have it any other way." Maddie shifted so she could lean down and press a kiss to Ben's hot forehead.

"Nope… I wouldn't."

* * *

 **Another contribution to our fledgling fandom completed. I think my next project is going to be a one-shot collection of Ryn experiencing new things in the human world.**


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